Death by Beach

Many students die from drowning every year. What does the U.S. Department of State know that some student study abroad program chaperones apparently don’t? Read some of the travel warnings posted on http://travel.state.gov/ for visitors going to Costa Rica and Thailand’s beaches.

For Costa Rica:
“On both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, currents are swift and dangerous, and the majority of dangerous beaches have neither lifeguards nor warning signs. Approximately 59 people drowned in 2012 in Costa Rica due to treacherous rip currents that have swept even strong swimmers out to sea. “
Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html

For Thailand:
“Strong seasonal undercurrents at popular beach resorts pose a sometimes fatal threat to surfers and swimmers. During the monsoon season from May through October, drowning is the leading cause of death for tourists visiting the resort island of Phuket. Some, but not all, beaches have warning flags to indicate the degree of risk (red flag: sea condition dangerous for swimming; yellow flag: sea condition rough, swim with caution; green flag: sea condition stable).”
Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1040.html


For Bali (Indonesia):
“Strong seasonal undercurrents in coastal waters pose a fatal threat to surfers and swimmers; every year, several U.S. citizens drown in unstable water.”
Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_2052.html
Following are stories of students that were killed on dangerous beaches. Every student, parent, program and chaperone should know about the U.S. Department of State travel warnings so that deaths like these can be prevented.



According to a story on MyDeathSpace.com, junior Erik Downes disappeared after he and his study abroad classmates from Oglethorpe University in Georgia were caught in a rip tide off of a beach in Costa Rica. Downes never resurfaced, and after a three-day search his body was found in waters off Playa Pinuelas. University President Lawrence Schall said in a statement, "Erik was a shining star with unlimited potential and a kind heart. This is a great loss to our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."






Joshua Shane was a 21-year-old student from Arizona State University who disappeared after late-night swimming with three other friends on June 12, 2012 while studying abroad through a university program in Thailand. According to an article by the Huffington Post, Thai police found Shane’s body washed up on the shore of the resort island of Phuket. A teacher escorting the students confirmed the body’s identity. It appeared that Shane had drowned.




Morgan Lide, a high school senior from Georgia, drowned while swimming along the coast of Bali, Thailand while enrolled in a study abroad program in Indonesia, stated an article on the Daily Mail’s website.
Lide had started the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad Program in September, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. According to the article, the U.S. State Department confirmed Lide's death in the below statement:
'The Department of States offers our sincere condolences to her family,' it said. 'The U.S. Consulate in Surabaya is providing the family with all appropriate consular services.'



Sadly, the stories don’t end there. Pulled by a strong undertow current, three Ohio teenagers drowned while on a mission’s trip to Costa Rica on May 4, 2011. An article by Deseret News stated that the teenagers were enjoying an afternoon on the beach with their group when they were swept out to sea by a rip current in the Pacific Ocean near the town of Parrita.
Two other teenagers in the group were swept out by the current as well, but were rescued by local bystanders.



Nineteen-year-old Ravi Thackurdeen disappeared on Sunday, April 28, 2012 while he was studying abroad in Costa Rica. A fishing boat discovered his body on the south Pacific coast of Bahia Ballena two days later. Authorities said that Thackurdeen was trying to save a friend who was drowning in a riptide at Playa Tortuga in the southwestern canton of Osa, according to an article in the Tico Times..
Thackurdeen was studying abroad in Costa Rica as part of the Organization for Tropical Studies/Duke University's Global Health program, along with 17 other students. Thackurdeen was a chemistry and pre-med student at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Assistant vice provost for undergraduate global education at Duke, Margaret Riley, said that the study abroad program in Costa Rica is providing “all assistance possible to the family,” and counseling for students. The course was ended shortly after this tragedy occurred.
Help us create federal oversight to govern where our students are placed and appropriate warnings to protect them. Click on ClearCause Voices to the right.